This idea was brought to my attention the other day and thought it a great choice for a thread. Most of us who are US Navy fans can certainly recall the Navy's efforts to train their pilots on the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan) in the early 40's during the war. This thread may give you a nice idea of what that exersize was all about. Many interesting images to study here and quite possibly of interest to those who are involved with the restoration of aircraft that have been recovered from the Lakes. I have also included a page from my dad's logbook showing his 1st thru 8th carrier landings on the USS Wolverine in July 1944. Sources are the NMNA archives, Library of Congress photo archives, LIFE image archives.

This will be a large photo thread in a few parts so we'll start with the two principal ships.

WIKI: USS Sable (IX-81) was a training ship of the United States Navy during World War II. Originally built as the 'Greater Buffalo', a sidewheel excursion steamer, she was converted in 1942 to a freshwater aircraft carrier to be used on the Great Lakes. She was used for advanced training for naval aviators in carrier takeoffs and landings. One aviator that trained upon the Sable was future president George H. W. Bush. Following World War II, Sable was decommissioned on 7 November 1945. She was sold for scrapping on 7 July 1948 to the H.H. Buncher Company.

The steamship 'Greater Buffalo' before it was converted to the USS Sable (IX-81).

Overhead view of the training aircraft carrier Sable (IX 81) underway on Lake Michigan with an FM Wildcat making a deck launch from the flattop 1945

The USS Sable (IX-81) lies at anchor in Lake Michigan 1943

training aircraft carrier Sable (IX 81) moored alongside a pier on the shore of Lake Michigan during a break in training operations.

USS Sable 1944

USS Sable 1944

USS Sable Underway on Lake Michigan 1945

WIKI: USS Wolverine (IX-64) a side-wheel excursion steamer built in 1913—was originally named 'Seeandbee', a name based upon her owners' company name, the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Co.[4] She was constructed by the American Ship Building Company of Wyandotte, Michigan. The Navy acquired the sidewheeler on 12 March 1942 and designated her an unclassified miscellaneous auxiliary, IX-64. She was purchased by the Navy in March 1942 and conversion to a training aircraft carrier began on 6 May 1942.[5] The name Wolverine was approved on 2 August 1942 with the ship being commissioned on 12 August 1942.[5][6] Intended to operate on Lake Michigan, IX-64 received its name because the state of Michigan is known as the Wolverine State.

The steamship 'Seeandbee' before it was converted to the USS Wolverine (IX-64)

The USS Wolverine (IX-64) lies at anchor in Lake Michigan 1943

A view of the coal burning USS Wolverine (IX 64) while underway in Lake Michigan 1943

A view of the USS Wolverine (IX-64) while underway in Lake Michigan 1942

The USS Wolverine (IX-64) lies at anchor in Lake Michigan 1943 with Chicago skyline in background

USS Wolverine (IX 64) commissioned as Great Lakes-based training carrier in August 1942. She was followed in May 1943 by USS Sable (IX 81).

Thx guys, I'm just filling in for Jack Cook until comes back to do this right

Here's dad on what is starting to look more and more like he could have been on the USS Wolverine at the time these photos were taken. BTW he was very tall (6-2) for a Navy pilot back then. Correction: I'm now to think this is dad at NAS Glenview, not on the Wolverine as all pilots were required to perform eight successful take-offs and landings and I believe the only way to have been out of the cockpit on the Lakes carriers was to have had a mishap of some sort. That's not for sure though.

July 21, 1943, this F4F-3 Wildcat (Bureau Number 4039) was in the process of making a deck launch from the training aircraft carrier Wolverine

Piece of wreckage from the first aircraft to crash on board the Wolverine (IX 64)

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